Description

Mid to later 19th century. Classically-detailed, rectangular-plan, 4-storey former hotel on corner site; 5-bay to Albert Place (N); 4-bay to East Princes Street (E); 6-bay to West Princes Street (S) with prominent bowed corners. Rendered and painted; horizontal channelling at ground. Raised base course; architraved string and cill courses; dentilled eaves course. Architraved, corniced and consoled windows to N and E elevations at 1st floor; architraved and corniced windows to N and E elevations at 2nd floor with bracketed cills, scrolled details at base and stone pilaster mullions; round-arched windows set in square-headed recess with pilastered reveals to 3rd floor.

N (ALBERT PLACE) ELEVATION: assymmetrical at ground. Central entrance comprising 2-leaf timber panelled door set in antis, detached columns to left and right, flanking pilasters, advanced entablature above. Large single windows at ground in 2 bays to left of entrance; large single window in bays to right and outer right; later doorway in penultimate bay to outer right. Bipartite windows in central 3 bays at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors; single windows in bays to outer left and right. Slightly recessed full-height bow to outer left angle with bipartite windows and decorative anthemion parapet.

E (SIDE) ELEVATION: doorway at ground in bay to outer left; large single windows in remaining bays to right. Regular fenestration with some blind windows to 3rd floor. Slightly recessed full-height bow to outer left angle comprising large window at ground and bipartite windows above.

S (WEST PRINCES STREET) ELEVATION: central doorway at ground; bipartite windows at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors in bays to left and right of centre; flanking single windows; single windows to all floors in bays to outer left and right.

Predominantly 2- and 4-pane timber sash and case windows (10-pane at rear); later box-dormers. Grey slate roof; tall corniced wallhead stacks to N, S and E; decorative fluting, dentil detailing, various circular cans.

Statement of Interest

B-group with Former Royal Hotel 1-6 Albert Place, 10-12 Albert Place, 7-9 Albert Place, 5-9 West Princes Street and 1-5 Watergate (see separate listings).

The former Royal Hotel is a well-detailed classical hotel with shops and licensed premises at ground, occupying a highly prominent corner position on the Rothesay sea front, directly opposite the ferry terminal. It groups well with the other buildings in the terrace and makes a strong contribution to the streetscape, marking the entrance to the town. The building is comparatively richly detailed, with deeply set cornices and fine architraved and corniced windows, for its location within a relatively small town and this is characteristic of the high quality later 19th century developments in Rothesay which was an important holiday destination during this period. The town displays a number of well-detailed buildings, including commercial and residential buildings, particularly in close proximity to the pier and seafront promenade.

Rothesay is one of Scotland's premier seaside resorts, developed primarily during the second half of the 19th and the early 20th centuries, and it incorporates an earlier medieval settlement. The town retains a wide range of buildings characteristic of its development as a high status 19th century holiday resort, including a range of fine villas, a Victorian pier and promenade.

The history and development of Rothesay is defined by two major phases. The development of the medieval town, centred on Rothesay Castle, and the later 19th and early 20th century development of the town as a seaside resort. Buildings from this later development, reflect the wealth of the town during its heyday as a tourist destination, and include a range of domestic and commercial architecture of a scale more often found in larger burghs. Both the 19th and early 20th century growth of the town, with a particular flourish during the inter-war period, included areas of reclaimed foreshore, particularly along the coast to the east of the town and around the pier and pleasure gardens.

(List description revised as part of Rothesay listing review 2010-11)

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17775135

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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